The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-08-25
MORE INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM.

This is the era of reform, and while we
are about it certain weak spots in the
press, the champion and most efficient
agent in oil reforms, might as well be
strengthened. We refer to that remnant
of barberism, the abject servility of the
press to party. The newspapers started
in good many years ago to reform
themselves in this matter, and they have
succeeded to such an extent that many of
the ablest journals in the country have
enamel pated themselves from the old idea,
and, while maintaining a proper kind of
party allegiance, it is, fortunately, not of
the slavish, thick -and-thin kind that sup
presses independent criticism, upon the
ground that the party could do no wrong.
This emancipation should extend to
the entire press, and until it has, the press
will not realize its full and legitima to in
huence. The man who reads the editorial
comments of paper, knowing that there
is no honest independence IN them, will
cease to read them because he tires of the
constant and exclusive presentation of one
side only Of a case. He wants to see
every question of public interest treated
with absolute fairness and independence,
and that journal alone will influence him
which comedies this much to his intelli-
gence and sense of fair play. The edito-
rial department of the American press is
not the power now that it was in the days
of Horace Greedy, not only because of the
levelling influence of cheap and universal
education, but because, like the hired at
torney, its opinions in party matters are
known before hand to have one fixed bias
and are designed to enlighten or obscure
rs party expediency may dictate. That
courageous, independent, honest criti-
cism through the press has lost none of
its ancient power is proved by the case of
the New York World, whose record of
abuses wiped out, and benefits established
by the sheer force of its editorial criti-
cisms is simply phenomenal; and that the
absence of this kind of honesty in jour
nalism will greatly impair, if not abso-
lutely wreck the once powerful influence
of paper, is shown in the case of the
New York Tribune, which, so far as its
power to affect public opinion by its
editorial utterances is concerned, is
a mere shawdow of its former self. An
instance in point, is the recent annulling
by Secretary Lamar, of the large
land grant of the Atlantic g. Pacific road,
by which twenty-five million acres of
land have been restored to the public do
main. Mr.. Lamar acted as he did for the
excellent and sufficient reason that the
railroad company had not earned the
grant by complying with the stipulated
conditions. The whole American people |
have been demanding such action as this
for years, as one of the reforms most ur-
knowing that this first check upon cor
porate rapacity is feather in the cap of |
the democratic administration, can sec no |
merit in Mr.. Lamar's act and INDUCES in
some characteristic drivel. Out upon such |
prostitution of journalism and speed the
day when the good act of public servant
will be recognized by the entire press, re-
CARELESS of party whips. The last letters
will be struck from the giant limbs of
journalism when parties learn that their
most exacting critics and censors are
their own newspapers.